About

Background

My path to Kennesaw State has been somewhat non-traditional. Since completing my Ph.D. in 2012, I have been fortunate to work in government, industry, and academia. Those experiences have shaped both my research program and my philosophy of teaching. In my courses and advising I encourage students to appreciate the wide variety of careers available in biology and the unique perspectives that different sectors bring to scientific research.

Education

Baylor University

Conducting small mammal fieldwork during graduate school.

Ph.D. Biology (2012)

Advisor: Kenneth T. Wilkins

Dissertation

Effects of habitat affinities and resource needs on edge responses by small mammals.

University of Louisville

Nick swimming in a lake with an orange buoy.

Swimming in a lake to collect zebra mussels for my REU project at the University of Michigan Biological Station in 2005.

B.S. Biology (2006)

My undergraduate experience introduced me to ecological research and ultimately inspired me to pursue graduate school and a career in quantitative ecology.

Professional Experience

Associate Professor of Biology

Official faculty portrait

Official faculty portrait.

Kennesaw State University
2025–Present

Research in quantitative ecology of animal populations.

  • Advising undergraduate and graduate students.
  • Statistical consulting and collaboration.
  • Teaching Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, Vertebrate Zoology, and Applied Biological Data Analysis.

Assistant Professor of Biology

Showing students how to handle a chipmunk.

Kennesaw State University
2020–2025

Established the Green Quantitative Ecology Laboratory and developed an externally funded research program in ecology and conservation.

Courses included Principles of Biology II Laboratory, Invertebrate Zoology, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, and Applied Biological Data Analysis.

Project Scientist

Waterborne Environmental, Inc.
2018–2020

Conducted ecological risk assessments for agricultural chemicals using population models, individual-based simulations, and toxicokinetic–toxicodynamic (TKTD) models.

Developed simulation software, analyzed large ecological datasets, and contributed to successful research proposals.

Applied Statistician (Senior)

The Climate Corporation
2017–2018

Developed statistical models supporting precision agriculture and collaborated with software engineers, statisticians, and agronomists to improve data-driven recommendations for growers.

Ecologist

Conducting fieldwork as an ecologist at USGS in 2016.

U.S. Geological Survey
2013–2017

Developed statistical models for wildlife populations using Bayesian and frequentist methods, mark–recapture analyses, distance sampling, and stochastic simulation.

Designed and taught training courses in statistics and R, supervised field crews, and collaborated on research proposals and publications.